NY--Self-employed applying for UI or PUA (claim, payment, work, money)

[usqt]

Any self-employed applicants out there in New York who applied for "regular" unemployment benefits, were told to call the Telephone Claim Center to Complete Your Claim and were actually able to get through and complete it? I applied on March 29 for regular unemployment, then applied on April 5 for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, message: "Eligible for PUA" but no way to certify because the regular application is still incomplete. Been calling the Department of Labor about 100 times a day but could not get past entering your social and pin.

[jaaade]

There is a general NY unemployment post available near top of this unemployment forum that might have some information that's interesting for you while you wait for someone to post here also.

[BugsyPal]

Originally Posted by usqt

Any self-employed applicants out there in New York who applied for "regular" unemployment benefits, were told to call the Telephone Claim Center to Complete Your Claim and were actually able to get through and complete it? I applied on March 29 for regular unemployment, then applied on April 5 for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, message: "Eligible for PUA" but no way to certify because the regular application is still incomplete. Been calling the Department of Labor about 100 times a day but could not get past entering your social and pin.

Independent contractor and self-employed part of PUA is a CF, and isn't expected to be worked out quickly.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/07/polit...mic/index.html

Most states don't offer any such benefit, so they have to create one from scratch. Since it is federal money paying states must wait for guidance from Labor department. Thing is on face of it such a scheme is simply open to all kinds of fraud and abuse that will be difficult to track.

As things stand it is already difficult to catch those claiming they are unemployed but actually not. If they are working for someone or something that sends payroll tax information to federal and local governments sooner or later bells (should) go off. That being said plenty know this and simply work off the books, all while claiming unemployment.

Now federal government is expanding unemployment benefits to a group who by nature have a different sort of labor relationship.

How will benefits be calculated? Based upon what figures and supporting paperwork? Sole proprietors and others who have their own business normally do not get 1099 forms. That would leave tax returns as next likely source of information.

How to verify those who claim they aren't getting work truly are not?

Do you only extend benefits to those who are LLC or corporations? Or do you include sole proprietors?

In short someone could easily claim they have no business coming in, but simply request payments be made in cash; this largely happens already with many self-employed/independent contractors.

[bigcitymama]

When calculating PUA benefits for NYS self-employed sole proprietors, assuming it's based on tax returns, is gross or net income counted?

Since things are still being worked out, perhaps there's no answer to this yet. I was unable to find an answer online and also unable to download a pdf of the NYS application to try to deduce the answer from the questions.

If anyone knows, thanks!